Water softener brine apparatus



Nov. 22, 1932. s. G.- HARWOOD ET AL ,8

WATER SOFTENER BRINE APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 28. 1927 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov, 22, 1932.

s. G; HARWOOD ETAL 1,888,531

WATER SOFTENER BRINE APPARATUS v Original Filed Nov. 28, 192 2Sheets-Sheet 2 I my; 2%;

Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED STAT-ES PATENT" OFFICE STANLEY G. HARWOOD,OF MINNEAPOLIS,

MINNESOTA, ANn noNALD GRISWOLD, or

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THEPERMUTIT COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWAREWATER sor'rnmm BRINE APPARATUS Original application filed November28,1927, Serial No. 236,122, now Patent No. 1,846,419, dated February23, 1932. Divided and this application filed March 15, 1929. Serial No.347,319.

This invention relates to water softeners of the base-exchange type andhas more particular reference to automatic or semi-automatic softeners,although certain features of the present softener might be used in ahand-op erated softener to good advantage.

The principal object'of our invention is to provide 'a'softener having abr.' ne tank arranged' to b-e installed removably in the salt tankthereof, the brine tank having its valve and operating mechanismtherefor, together with the strainer, all mounted thereon and removabletherewith as a unit. This permits the casting of the brine tankseparately and the complete assembling, inspection, and testing oftheunit part from the softener, and has been found to be of specialadvantage in softeners Where the softener tank and salt tank are casttogether in a single unit, in which case the casting of a brine chamberin the salt tank involved a very difficult and costly casting operation,attended with the danger of leakage especially in the brine chamberwhich had to be built water-tight enough to withstand city waterpressures. The use, however, of a removable brine tank is not to beregarded as limited to softeners of the cast-in-one-unit type referredto, nor is it limited to use in castsalt tanks, nor to use in salt tankswhere only a single unit ofthe present character may be used, inasmuchas in large industrial units it may be found practical to employ anumber of removable brine tank units suitably interconnec'l ed for thesupply of brine in the larger volumes required.

Incidental to the improvement just referred to but not l'fmitedto usewhere the brine tank is removable maybe mentioned the provision of anelongated valve s. em extending to a point above the bed of salt in thesalt tank permitting the jiggling of the valve by hand in case the sametends to stick. Also the provision of a bell-shaped shield for the opentop of the hydraulic cylinder containing the pis on for operating thevalve, the shield serving to exclude dirt and grit from the cylinderwhich might otherwise resultin a failure of the valve to be operatedproperly. A

' feature of special advantage in connection with the removable brinetank is the provision of pipes for the admission of fresh water and thedischarge of brine from the brine tank, the said -pipes being extendedupwardly to a point near'the top of the salt tank so that they serve inthe lowering of the tank into place aswell as in the removal thereof.

These pipes have their upper ends connected -with the control valvemechanism by means of flexible hoses, the use of which avoids thenecessity for the precise location with respect to one another of theparts to be connected so that assembling is greatly facilitated and, atthe same time, the cost is kept to a minimum.

being likewise shown in side elevation with a part thereof broken awayso as not to hidethe mounting of the strainer element in the'8'0 cover 2is a plan view. of Fig. 1 with the hood removed from above the softenertank and with the salt tank appearing in horizontal section in a planeslightly below the upper end thereof; and I Fig. 3 is an enlargedvertical cross-section through the brine tank and the control valvemechanism therefor on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. The same referencenumerals are applied to corresponding parts in the three views.

The softener in which the present improvements are illustrated asembodied is of the type first disclosed in our Patent No. 1,846.4:18,dated February 23, 1932, wherein the softener and salt tanks 4 and 5,respectively, are cast together to form a single selfcontained unitwiththe valve mechanism 6,

valve operating mechanism 7 and meter 8 mounted above the softener tanksuitably beoperated neath a hood 9 to give a neat symmetricalappearance. The valve mechanism 6 forms the subject matter of our PatentNo. 1,593,- 300, issued July 20, 1926, and will not, therefore, requirea detailed description and the same is true of the Valve operatingmechanism 7, which is fully described and claimed in our copendingapplication Serial No. 123,400, filed July 19, 1926. The mechanism ismounted on the cover 10, bolted as at 11 over the open top of thesoftener tank. Posts 12 projecting from the cover serve to support thevalve operating mechanism 7 which is encased in an oil-tight box 13beneath a cover plate 14. The mechanism 7 is at predetermined intervalsby an electric motor 15 to shift the valve 6 whenever the circuit iscompleted through the motor as fully set forth in our copendingapplication last above referred to. For the purposes of conveying ageneral understanding of the softener in order that the features ofimprovement forming the subject matterof the present mvention may befully appreciated; a brief general description of the operation of thesoftenerwill be given at this point.

The hard water supplied from the water mains enters the softener throughthe pipe 16, passing through the meter 8, and a connection 17 forpassage through the valve-6 in any one of three different directionsdepending on the position of the valve. In

normal operation the hard water is directed through the'pipe connection18 into a sediment chamber 19 in the bottom of the sof tener tank 4 forpassage upwardly through the bed ofwater softening material, the toplevel of which is indicated at 20. The water is thereby softened and isdischarged from the tank through the pipe connection 21 and from thencethrough the valve 6 to the soft water supply pipe 22. The latter hasconnection with the usual service system. At the end of the softeningrun the circuit for the motor 15 is completed by the meter 8 or by acontrol clock through the intermediary of the mechanism 7, directly ifthe operation is fully automatic, and indirectly by a pushbutton switch,for example, if the operation is semi-automatic. 'At any rate, the motor15 operates the valve 6 to the regenerating position and then is shut011'. During regeneration the valve in its new position directs theincoming hard water through a port at 23 communicating, as willhereinafter appear, with a brine chamber provided in a brine tank 24disposed in the salt tank 5. Brine is displaced from the tank 24 by theinjection of the fresh hard water and is discharged into a port of thevalve 6, indicated at 25, for passage through the valve 6 into the pipeconnection 21 communicating, as stated before, with the top of thesoftener tank 4. The

brine is thus passed through the bed of sof- 'is involvedproportionately.

rinse or flush position. When the valve is in its new positiontheincoming hard Water is directed to the bottom of the softener tankthrough the pipe connection 18. Waste water is discharged from the topof the tank through the pipe connection 21 and is conducted through thevalve 6 into the waste pipe 26 leading tothe sewer. The rinse wa ter ismetered the same as the salt-wash water and the mechanism 7 initiates athird operation of the motor after a predetermined ,amount of water haspassed through forthe rinse. This third operation of the valve shifts itfrom the rinse'position back to the normal softening position. Thisbrief description is thought to suflice for the present purposes. I

The brine tank 24, according to the present invention, is cast separateand is arranged to be removably installed in the bottom of the salt tank5 in the manner illustrated, the bed of salt being filled in on topthereof. With this construction there is the advantage that the valveassembly, indicated generally by the reference numeral 27, with thefresh water inlet pipe 28 and brine outlet pipe 29 may be completelyassembled on the tank outside of the softener and the unit can besubjected to 'tests'before the same is lowered into place in the salttank. The assembling and testing expenses are accordingly reduced to aminimum. The casting of the brine tank apart from the salt tank is, ofcourse, of very great advantage in that the casting would otherwise bequite complicated and expensive and there would be danger of leaks whichmight necessitate the discarding of the entire casting.- In the presentcase, if the brine tank casting proves defective very little lossFurthermore, the testing of the small brine tank can be carried out withmuch greater ease and facility than would be the case if the brine tankwere cast as a chamber in the salt tank. Whenever it is desired toinspect the valve assembly 27 the brine tank may be lifted out by thepipes 28 and 29. lVhether or not the valve assembly has to be removedfrom the brine tank for inspection, it will be ap parent that nodifficulties will be met with either in the disassembling orreassembling inasmuch as the parts are handy to get at when the brinetank is removed from the salt tank. The valve assembly 27 for the brinetank 2* is made up generally along the lines of that described andclaimed in Sweeney Patout No. 1,693,829, issued December 4, 1928, andaccordingly no invention is claimed in the general features thereof,although certain improvements herein specifically referred to form apart of thepresent invention. The brine tank 24, as illustrated in Fig..3, has an opening 30 in the top wall thereof closed by a cap 31forming the frame of the valve assembly. The cap is bolted down, asindicated at 32, over suitable packing.33 to give a water-tight jo'nt. Abushing 34 is threaded in a central opening in the cap 31 andprovides avalve seat for a rubber disk valve 36. The latter, as described 'in theSweeney Patent, is operated by a piston 37 received in a hydrauliccylinder 38. A compressionspring 39 provides a yielding connectionbetween the'valve 36 and the piston 37. The cap- 31'has the pipes 28 and29 screwed. therein, as indicated, the pipe 28 communicating with apassage 40 leadin to'the lower end of the cylinder38 while uf pipe 29communicates with'a passage 41 opening'into the inside of .the brinetank or whatserves asfthe brine chamber. The cylinder 38 has ports 42 inthe walls thereof arranged tobeuncovered by the piston 37 when thelatter is forced upwardly under the action of the incoming fresh water,the latter being then discharged through the ports 42 into the brinetank and displacing the brine therefrom out through the passage 41 andinto the pipe 29. The valve 36 is closed a result of the rise of thepiston 37 as will be clear from observation of Fig. 3. The tank is,therefore, sealed before the fresh water is admitted to commence thedisplacement of the brine therefrom. We may provide a bell-shaped shield43 above the upper end of I the cylinder 38 to exclude d rt and grittherefrom which might otherwise interfere with the easy operation of.the piston 37 in the opening and closing of the valve 36. The shield 43is secured to the valve 36 and in the open position of the latter comesto rest on top of the cylinder 38 so that any refuse is absolutelyexcluded from entry into the cylinder. The depending side walls of theshield exclosed position of the valve so that protection is afforded atthe sides as-well as at thetop.

' This protection of the cylinder is quite important when it isconsidered that some users of softeners are apt to get low grades ofsalt having more or less dirt and grit therein which, if they got inbetween the cylinder and the piston, might result in the sticking of thelatter and hence in a failure of the softener to operate properly. Thethought in providing this improvement is to avoid likelihood of any suchdifliculty arising, to

the end that the servicing of the softeners will be reduced to aminimum.If, for any reason, the valve fails to open or close, the

.tire brine tank unit.

stem 44 provided of elongated form extending upwardly from the valve toa point near the top ofthe salt tank and appreciably above the salt bed.The stem 44 extends through a tube 45 which serves as a casing therefor,a cap 46 being suitably provided to close the upper end of the tube andarranged for easy removal to altord access to the stem 44. The tube 45is fixed on the upper end of a strainer element 47 fixed on the bushing34 as by means of screws 48. Thestrainer element consists of a: skeletonframe having a screen covering the openings therein and serving toretain'the salt against entry into the brine tank while permittingrelatively unrestricted fluid communication between the brine tank andthe'salt tank past the'valve 36 when the latter is opened. The provisionof the elongated stem 44 for the purpose referred to is anotherimprovement provided with a view to reducing the necessity for servicecalls, in-

asmuch as the user can readily attend to the jiggling of the valve todislodge the same if the same happens to get stuck where it will eitherfail to open or fail to close, the failure to open being obviously dueto a sticking of the valve to its seat coupled with a possible.

sticking or sluggish action of the piston,

.while a failure "of the valve to close would be due to a possiblesticking of the piston alone, either of which conditions are oftentimesquickly remedied by a few reciprocations of the parts in the mannersuggested. \Vhere the valve assembly requires removal for inspection orrepair, as stated above, thepipes 28 and 29 provide a convenient meansfor the removal and replacement of the en- The repairman in re-. movingthe unit simply uncouples the hose connections at 49 and 50 at the upperends of the pipes 28 and 29, respectively. These hose connections avoidthe necessity for precise location of the brine tank unit in thesalttank and are, of course, much more GCOIIOIIH- cal to provide thaneasierto assemble. v

Referring now more particularly to Fig.

pipe connections and '.1, it Will be observed that novel distributingtend about the sides of the cylinder ,in the the softener tank 4. Astrainer tube 51 1s means are employed at the top and bottom of carriedon a plug 52 screwed at 53 in a boss 54 cast integral with the cover 10atone side of the latter, the strainer being accessible upon removal ofa plug 55 closing an opening in an adjacent side of the boss. Thus,

the strainer may be removed upon occasion for the purposes of cleaning,inspectlon, or replacement. The strainer communicates with the ipeconnection 21 which leads. into the boss 5 ,Ias shown. Thestrainerextends downwardly at. an acute angle with'respect to the coverinto the head space above the bed of water softening material. It is,therefore,

disposed transversely with respect to the top 5" means of the bed. This,of course, makes for easy access to the strainer for the water leavingthe top of the bed during softening operation and also makes for betterdistribution of the brine to all parts of the bed during regeneration.The fact that the boss 5 is provided in the cover simplifies assemblingconsiderably, inasmuch as a great part of the connections may-becompleted in one assembly on the cover before the cover is fastened ontothe softener tank. Furthermore, when the hood' 9 is placed over thesoftener tank the boss 54 is concealed and with it the pipe connectionstherefor and, of course, the valve and its operating'mechanism and thepipe connections for the valve. claimed in our parent Patent No.1,846,419. The distributing means at the bottom of the softener tank,which also forms the basis for claims in the parent patent just referredto, comprises a distributor plate 56 having a plurality of T shapedstrainer nozzles 57 mounted in openings therein. The plate 56 restsabout its edges on top of an annular rim 58 cast integral with the sidewalls of the tank 4 and defining the top of the sediment chamber 19. Agasket 59 is interposed between the plate 56 and the rim 58 and arrangedto be compressed by the tightening of a nut 60 on a stud61 so that agood watertight joint is provided. The clamping pressure is equalized atall points about the edges of the plate 56 by reasonof the fact that thestud 61 is centrally located with reference to the circular plate. 56.The stud 61 is mounted'in a plug 62 closing an opening in the bottomwall of the sediment chamber, the opening being necessitated in thecoring of the casting, the same as in the case of the lug 63 closing anopening in the bottom of the salt tank 5.

It is believed the foregoing dcscription conveys a completeunderstanding of our invention and of its-advantages over previous typesof water softeners known to the art. Although we have described ourinvention by reference to one-specific embodiment it should beunderstood that it is capable of considerable variation in design andconstruction as well as in the arrangement of parts. We are, therefore,not to be construed as limited to the details herein illustrated anddescribed, but may avail ourselves of all legitimate modifications,adaptations and variations within the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims. We claim 1'. In a water softener apparatus, means for providingbrine comprising a salt. tank,

, and a brine tank removably installedin the on top thereof, said i inopen communication with the interior of salt tank and arranged to havesalt stored brine tank being normally the salt tank and havingconnections for flowing water through the brine tank, valve forcontrolling the flow throughthe munication between the two tanks Thisfeature is and means for shutting off com-' during the flow of waterthrough the brine tank.

2. In a water softener apparatus, means for supplying brine comprising asalt tank, a separate brine tank removably installed in connections,

the bottom of the salt tank and arranged to have salt stored on topthereof, a valve mechanism mounted on said brine tank con- 7 trollingcommunication between the two tanks, automatically operated means foroperating said valve mechanism, and fresh water inlet and brine outletpipes connected with the brine tank and associated with the lastmentioned means to operate the same, the inlet and outlet pipesextending upwardly from'the brine tank to the top of the salt tank andserving in the lowering of the brine tank into place therein or in theremoval of said .tank therefrom. I 3. A water softener brine tankmechanism comprising, in combination with a brine chamber on top ofwhich salt is arranged to be stored, a cap closing an opening leadinginto the brine chamber and having a valve seat defining an openingtherein affording communicatlon with the inside of the brine chamberthrough the cap, a valve mounted in the cap and arranged to move toclose said opening whereby to seal the brine chamber, a piston foroperating said valve, a cylinder having the piston operating therein, afresh water inlet pipe communicating with said cylinder behind the pi ontherein arranged toiutroduce water to derate the piston, the cylinderhavingwpenings for the discharge of the fresh water into the brinechamber, a brine outlet pipe communicating with the brine chamber, and ashield for the open end of the'cylindcr to exclude dirt and grittherefrom.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein the shield is mounted onand movable with the valve and serves to close the end of the cylinderwhen the valve is in open position.

5. A structure as set forth 'in claim 3 wherein the shield has an apronportion to cludin'ga strainergmounted on the cap over I the valve seatto exclude salt from entry into the brine chamber, an elongated valvestem extending upwardly through the upper end of the strainer to a pointabove the salt bed to permit' manual operation of the valve whendesired, and a" tube mounted on the upper end of the strainerand-extending up wardly therefrom through the salt bed and having thevalve stem extending therethrough whereby the tube serves as a casingfor the stem, the upper end of the tube being suitably capped to permitaccess to the end of the valve stem whenever desired.

8. In a water softener brine apparatus, the

combination of a salttank, a separate brine -tank and serving primarilyas a liquid cirtank placed in the bottom of said salt tank under a bedof salt therein, said brine tankhaving an opening affordingcommunication between it and the interior of the salt tank, a framecovering said opening, a valve mounted in said frame normally occupyingopen position for the purposeof permitting the formation of brine insaid chamber between regenerations, mechanism carried by said framefor'operating said valve to closed position, said mechanism beinghydraulically operable, and a pair of pipes attached to and extendingfrom said frame to an appreciable elevation in said container, the onepipe servingas a fresh Water inlet and having communication with thehydraulically operable mechanism to accomplish the operation thereof,and the other pipe serving as a brine outlet for the chamber, said frametogether with everything assembled thereon being remov-s able andreplaceable as a unit, and the two pipes'serving as a means whereby thesame is arranged to be removed and replaced.-

9. A structure as set forth in claim 8 including an elongated valve stemfor the brine valve extendingupwardly therefrom to a point above thelevel of the salt in the salt tank to permit manual manipulationthereof.

10. A structure as set forth in claim 8 including a strainer elementmounted on said frame over the brine valve and an elongated valve stemfor the brine valve extending upwardly therefrom through the strainerelement to a point above the level of the salt in the salt tank.

11. A structure as set forth in claim 8 including a strainer elementmountedon said frame over the brine-valve, a tube extending from the topof said strainer element to a point above the level of .the salt in thesalt tank, and an elongated valve stem' for the brine valve extendingupwardly therefrom through said tube to the upper end of the latter.

12. A structure as set forth in claim 8 including a strainer elementmounted on said frame over the brine valve, a tube extending from thetop of said strainer element to a point above the level of the salt inthe salt tank, an elongated valve stem for the brine valve extendingupwardly therefrom through said tube to the upper end of the latter, anda removable closure for the upper end of said tube.

13. In a water softener brine apparatus,

a salt tank, a separate brine tank placed in the bottom of the salt tankand arranged to regeneration, and a pipe attached to and extendingupwardly from the brine tank to a point above the level of the salt "inthe salt culation pipe for the brine tank but arranged to serve also inthe lowering of the brine tank into place in the salt tank or in-theremoval comprising, in combination with a brine chamber in a salt tank,on top of which salt is arranged to be stored,'of a plate closing anopening leading into the brine chamber and having a valve seat definingan opening therein affording communication with the inside of the brinechamber, a valve disposed in said opening and arranged to move upwardlyfrom open position to close said opening whereby to seal'the brinechamber, a piston below said valve for operating the same, :1 cylinderwherein the piston is operable vertically, a fresh water inlet pipecommunicating with the lower end of said cylinder behind the pistonarranged to introduce water to operate the latter, the cylinder havingopenings for the discharge of fresh water into the brine chamber, abrine outlet pipe communicating with the brine chamber, and a shieldcovering the open top of the cylinder to exclude dirt and grittherefrom.

15. A structure as set ,forth in claim 14. wherein the shield is mountedon and movable with the valve and serves to close the top of thecylinder when the valve is in open position.

16. A structure as set forth in claim 14 wherein the'shield iscup-shaped to provide an apron portion extending about the sides of .thecylinder to afford protection from the sides as well as from the top.17. A structure as set forth in claim 14 including an elongated valvestem extending upwardly from the valve through the salt bed above thebrine chamber'for the purpose of permitting manual operation of thevalve when desired.

18. A structure as set forth, in claim 14 including a strainer mountedover the valve seat, to exclude salt from entry into the brine chamber,and an elongated valve stem extending upwardly from thevalve through thestrainer and'through the salt bed for the purpose of permitting manualoperation of said valve when desired.

19. In a water softener brine apparatus, the combination of a salt tank,a brine tank disposed inthe bottom of the salt tank so that the top wallthereof forms the support for the salt bed in the salt tank, a straineron the top of the brine tank through which mally communication isafforded between the brine tank and the salt tank for the purpose offilling the brine tank wtih brine between regenerations, the brine tanktogether with its strainer being arranged to be removed from the salttank, and means for conducting the brine from the brine tank duringregenera-. tion.

20. A structure as set forth in claim 19 wherein the last mentionedmeans includes a brine tank removably installed in the salttank, valvemeans on the brine tank and removable therewith from' the salt tanknorallowing communication between the brine tank and the salt tank forthe filling of the brine tank with brine between regenerations, saidvalve means serving to cut off such communication during regeneration,and

means for conducting brine from the brine tank during regeneration, saidmeans providing a fresh water inlet connection for said brine tankwhereby in regeneration to replace the brine with fresh water.

22. A structure as set forth in claim 21 wherein the last mentionedmeans includes two conduits havingcommunication with the brine tank andextending upwardly therefrom toward the top of the salt tank, the

said conduits being arranged to be used in the removal and placement ofthe brine tank.

23. In a water softener brine apparatus, the combination of a salt tank,a brine tank removably installed in the bottom of the salt tank so thatthe top wall thereof serves as a support for the bed of salt in the salttank, a valve in the top wall of the brine tank and removable therewithfrom the salt tank and controlling communication between the brine tankand the salt tank and permitting the filling of the brine tank withbrine between regenerations, said valve having a part for manipulatingthe same extending upwardly through the salt bed toward the top of thesalt tank, and means for Withdrawing brine from the brine tank duringregeneration.

24. In a water softener brine apparatus,

' the combination of a salt tank, a separate brine tank placed in thebottom of the salttank so that the top wall thereof serves as a supportfor the bed of salt in the salt tank, a valve'mechanism for controllingcommunication between the brine tank and the salt tank and removablewith the brinetank from the salt tank, said mechanism including a withbrine, hydraulically operated means having connection with the valve forclosingthe same at the time of regeneration to cut off such communicatioand a pair of conduits one of which serves as a fresh water inlet forthe brine tank and is so related to the hydraulically operated means tocause the-closing of the valve when fresh water is introduced into thebrine tank, and the other of which communicates with the brine tank andserves as a brine outlet, at least one of said conduits extendingupwardly from the brine tank toward the top of the salt tank andarranged to be used in the removal and placement of the brine tank.

25. A structure as set forth in claim 24 including a strainercooperating with the valve to retain the salt in the salt tank fromdirect passage into the brine tank, the said strainer being removablewith the. brine tank from the salt tank together with the valvemechanism.

- 26. A structure as set forth in claim 24 including a part foroperating thevalve independently of the hydraulically operated meansextending upwardly through the salt bed toward the topof the salt tank.

27. Astructure as set forth in claim 24 including a frame for the valvemechanism removably mounted on the brine tank and closing an openingprovided in the top wall' thereof.

28. In apparatus of the class described, a

tank to contain salt and water having in its lower part a brinereceiving receptacle provided with piping for. introducing water to andconducting brine from said receptacle and with means automaticallyoperable when water is introduced to said receptacle for shutting offcommunication between the interior of the salt tank and the brinereceptacle, saidreceptacleand its said equipment including the'pipingbeing a bodily removable unit contained within the salt tank. M

In witness of @the foregoing we aflix our signatures.

STANLEY G. HARWOOD. DONALD GRISWOLD.

valve afiording communication between the brine tank and the salt tankbetween regenerations-to permit the filling of the brine tank

